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Creating artisan ravioli dishes is not something reserved only for a culinary school-trained chef. With the help of versatile pre-made wonton wrappers, a handful of common ingredients and a pot roomy enough to boil several quarts of water, you can make luscious almost-homemade ravioli in as little as an hour. Many folks, accustomed to eating frozen ravioli, have eaten them in only one of two ways – either stuffed with cheese, or made with some kind of indiscernible meat mixture.
Sometimes ravioli dough can be heavy for its filling, often tasting chalky and appearing gummy after cooking. Ravioli sold fresh are better than frozen and come with imaginative fillings made with ingredients ranging from wild mushroom and spinach to lobster and shrimp. While fresh ravioli are very are tasty, many are pricey and, of course, no matter what kind of raviolis you select, be they fresh or frozen, they will still need to be sauced. By opting to make your own ravioli, however, you can achieve the whole package – taste, texture, looks and price, with the ingredients you choose and the homemade sauce you crave. When making homemade ravioli, always be sure not to overfill them and to crimp the edges well to prevent the filling from oozing out when the ravioli are boiled. Ravioli cook in just five minutes, or less, and you’ll be proud to show them off. Your ravioli will look good – and so will you.
Sue Ade is a syndicated food writer with broad experience and interest in the culinary arts. She has worked and resided in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com
